Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Imagine that there are American MIAs who chose to remain missing after the Vietnam War.

Imagine that there is a family in which four generations of strong, alluring women have shared a mysterious connection to an outlandish figure from Japanese folklore.

Imagine just those things (don’t even try to imagine the love story) and you’ll have a foretaste of Tom Robbins’s eighth and perhaps most beautifully crafted novel--a work as timeless as myth yet as topical as the latest international threat.

On one level, this is a book about identity, masquerade and disguise--about “the false mustache of the world”--but neither the mists of Laos nor the smog of Bangkok, neither the overcast of Seattle nor the fog of San Francisco, neither the murk of the intelligence community nor the mummery of the circus can obscure the linguistic phosphor that illuminates the pages of Villa Incognito.

A female fan once wrote to Tom Robbins:

“Your books make me think, they make me laugh, they make me horny and they make me aware of the wonder of everything in life.”

Villa Incognito will surely arouse a similar response in many readers, for in its lusty, amusing way it both celebrates existence and challenges our ideas about it.

To say much more about a novel as fresh and surprising as Villa Incognito would run the risk of diluting the sheer fun of reading it. As his dedicated readers worldwide know full well, it’s best to climb aboard the Tom Robbins tilt-a-whirl, kiss preconceptions and sacred cows goodbye and simply enjoy the ride.

From the Hardcover edition.

Review:

"Magic-drawing-pad paragraphs from psychotropic child genius Robbins. What can a poor reviewer do when attempting to skimble-skamble through that celebrated cerebellum in search of storyline when each page fades immediately?...Soulful on a subliminal seafloor." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"It's a fun read, although the things about Robbins that his fans love — clever wordplay, nudging asides, and political and philosophical digressions — are the same things that infuriate the nonbelievers, and for them, this short work may seem slow." Publishers Weekly

Synopsis:

American MIAs choose to remain missing after the Vietnam War. Four generations of strong, alluring women share a mysterious connection to an outlandish figure from Japanese folklore. In "Villa Incognito," love, lust, and provocative ideas abound.

About the Author

Tom Robbins, maverick author of eight juicy, daring and sagacious novels, is one of those rare writers who approach rock-star status, attracting SRO crowds at his personal appearances in Europe and Australia as well as in the United States. He lives primarily in the Seattle area.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

lukas, September 3, 2014 (view all comments by lukas)
"Your country seems to have everything and yet almost nothing. It's unbelievable. In that vast, beautiful, powerful land of unprecedented abundance live some of the most unhappy people on earth."
Northwest based Tom Robbins is the clown prince of fiction. A descendant of the Beats, he's much funnier and less annoying than they are and though he has some of Vonnegut's antic, subversive spirit, he's not as preachy. He is a genre unto himself. Here are some ingredients in the spicy gumbo that is his 8th novel: Southeast Asia, a man with an extra large scrotum, a beast from Japanese folklore, 9/11, American MIAs, drug running, religion, colorful analogies (breasts compared to "the headlamps of an approaching kiddie car") the circus, and, of course, sex, about which Robbins has maybe the most whimsically healthy attitude of any living author. A great book for the Robbins fan or novice.

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Elizabeth R, July 21, 2011 (view all comments by Elizabeth R)
Do you love Tom Robbins? Did you crave beets after reading Jitterbug Perfume? Villa Incognito will make you want to research and surround yourself with all things chrysanthemum. If you are unfamiliar with Tom Robbins, then read this book and open yourself to the layers and magic that you inhabit when you read his work!

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)

"Review"
by Kirkus Reviews,
"Magic-drawing-pad paragraphs from psychotropic child genius Robbins. What can a poor reviewer do when attempting to skimble-skamble through that celebrated cerebellum in search of storyline when each page fades immediately?...Soulful on a subliminal seafloor."

"Review"
by Publishers Weekly,
"It's a fun read, although the things about Robbins that his fans love — clever wordplay, nudging asides, and political and philosophical digressions — are the same things that infuriate the nonbelievers, and for them, this short work may seem slow."

"Synopsis"
by Libri,
American MIAs choose to remain missing after the Vietnam War. Four generations of strong, alluring women share a mysterious connection to an outlandish figure from Japanese folklore. In "Villa Incognito," love, lust, and provocative ideas abound.

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